A Duel of Two Fates
by PHADE
Summary: Based on the first KOTOR chronicles with a few twists along the way. It's the story of Asha Stark, newly recruited Republic scout and the dichotomy of two faces the light & dark within her. Which one will win out in the end?
1. Endar Spire: A Bad Start

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, I'm just borrowing the characters for a little bit and will bring them back when I'm done :-)

**A/N:** This storyline is based on the events of the KOTOR game and is my interpretation of it. Be forewarned, those who have not yet played the game, there are SPOILERS. I've rated this as M since eventually the violence will escalate and mature subject matters may arise later on.

Also I've used a few words from other Sci-fi themes, as you will notice, but this is NOT a BSG fic, I just borrowed some military titles and a swear word most commonly used as I myself am more comfortable writing 'Frack' than it's true counterpart. :-)

This is my very first fic ever, so any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated so please R&R. Also if there is anyone interested in being a Beta reader for me, please PM me.

**ENDAR SPIRE 1.0 - A Bad Start**

"That was a frack'n irresponsible and reckless move!" Carth Onasi, star pilot and Commander of the air group for the Endar Spire fumed as he crossed the hanger full of pilots and crew men to get into the face of the new recruit.

She was a scout, recruited for her exceptional skills and one of the many caveats requested by the Jedi since their boarding upon the Endar Spire. Bastila herself practically forced this late addition to the roster on them and if that did not sit well with Carth Onasi, the fact that the scout showed little to no regard for authority and took the Republic's new prototype scout ship out for an unsanctioned 'joyride', definitely gave him a 'hate on' for her.

"Uh yeah, sorry about that. I'll get it right the next time" the scout replied in her usual dismissive tone as she walked passed Carth towards her Rodian pilot.

"It's 'Sir'." Carth corrected stringently, "It's 'Sorry about that Sir'."

"Right," The scout snapped her fingers and turned as she shook a pointed digit at Carth. "Ya got me there…I keep forgetting the whole, Yes Sir, No Sir thing. Don't worry I'll get it right next time."

"That seems to be your catch phrase for everything Recruit!" Carth fumed, "You've been on board long enough to–"

"What can I say…" the recruit interjected adding to Carth's irk, "I'm a slow learner." She replied as she ducked beneath a parked fighter.

"Hey Chief," The scout caught up to the Chief deckhand, "She glides through the slip streams like silk, but I think you should have a look at the main drive; I got some irregular fluxes when I took her to max speed. Mind taking a look at it?"

"No problem Angel." The Chief winked and hollered at some mechanics to look at her ship.

Her naturally serene and innocent looking face catered to their decision to name her 'Angel'. It was the nickname the crew gave for her when she first came aboard the Endar Spire and became her call sign in the fleet.

"Thanks Chief!" The scout waved then jogged up to her Rodian pilot, once again trying to dodge the irate CAG.

"Nice piece of flying Dizz." The scout acknowledged as she clasped the Rodian's shoulder.

"No it was an idiotic stunt!" Carth retorted as he rounded the aircraft and made another direct bee-line towards the scout, his anger fueled by her flippant walk-by and dismissal of him. Jedi favored or not, he was not about to let her off that easily. "I'm not done with you Stark!"

Asha Stark, newly recruited Republic scout stopped and turned when her real name was called.

Dizzy, her Rodian pilot looked up at her side and muttered something in Rodesian as the enraged CAG approached. Carth did not understand which infuriated him more, the fact that the scout was so flippant with him, or the fact that she spoke to the alien in its language so that Carth himself could not understand it.

_"Don't worry Diz, I'll handle Captain Tight Pants." _Asha consoled her Rodian pilot quietly in Rodesian as she flipped up the visor of her helmet and gave him a knowing smile and a wink.

Asha unfastened the uncomfortable buckles of her flight suit and helmet, as she prepared for the onslaught of berating she knew would come.

Carth Onasi made the remaining steps to her and closed the gap between them.

"Do you know what these chevrons mean?" he started pointing to the small pins on the collar of his uniform.

"Uhm, should I?" Asha asked with an innocent look that raised Onasi's level of intensity ten-fold.

"I'm the CAG, so I'll spell it out for you since you're new. It stands for Commander of the Air Group and that means what I say is gospel. So if I say 'do not engage the enemy' that means you don't go near enemy ships."

"You jeopardized the life of my squadron, 'My' pilots with that little display of self-aggrandizing heroism!" Carth continued on his barrage.

This time Asha did not make any attempt to walk away. Instead she removed her helmet and shook free the long locks of dark raven black hair. Amber eyes met the man's eyes unflinchingly.

For a moment Carth was thrown off guard, stunned by the strange hue of the woman's eyes and her eerie exotic looks. He had seen her before on flight briefings, but always from a distance, never this close; her eyes were mesmerizing in an eerie and freakish way.

Asha noticed the man's reaction to her, finding it amusing that he had all but stopped his tirade. She almost smiled; though kept it in check. Instead she leaned forward and offered softly, "I believe you were in the middle of yelling at me...Sir"

Carth blinked back angered more by his momentary laps and her glib response. She was laughing inside, he knew it, despite her outward appearance of calm, it was written all over her damnable amber eyes.

"You were ordered not to engage the enemy." Carth fumed. "And to compound your error in judgment you were on an unsanctioned flight on a prototype scout ship you were not cleared to fly then proceeded to engage yourself in a fire-fight."

All eyes were on them. Asha could feel the curious stares and noticed in particular the eyes of three Jedi; a female flanked by two male Jedi watched the exchange.

"Look Captain," Asha said purposefully calling him the wrong rank and enjoying the myriad of emotions that played out on the angry man's face. "I understand your anger-"

"It's Commander!" Carth grated through bared teeth, she couldn't even get the ranks straight. Damn it what the hell are the Jedi playing at bringing this reject on board? He thought angrily. "And you couldn't fathom the depths of my anger right now."

Asha cleared her throat. "Right, Commander." She kept her voice even and calm; a stark contrast to the enraged CAG's tone and resonance. "It's true I took the Pathfinder on an unsanctioned flight-"

"A fact that would have had you court marshaled if you were a true Republic soldier." Carth cut in.

"Perhaps, but I am not. I'm a civilian scout who agreed to help the Republic and that's exactly what I did."

"Help?" Carth snorted. "By stealing a prototype scout ship, taking it out on a joyride and engaging in a firefight with an enemy ship that dragged my pilots into the foray? That kind of help sister, we don't need."

"Look, you've had me on a 'no flight' status for the better part of a week, Sir. I'm a scout, my job is to find you the best hyperspace routes to get us to our destination fast. I can't do that on the sidelines reading star charts and navi-computer readouts." Asha countered but still kept her tranquil tone.

"It's no secret the Sith are hot on our trail and it's only a matter of time before they figure out our next hyper jump trajectory and intercept. So I took the Pathfinder to test its capabilities and found us a route that will make it more difficult for the Sith to follow. It will cut our travel time in half. Plus on my flight I managed to get some Intel on where the Sith fleet tracking us."

"And you somehow think that by coming back with a newly charted route and some tidbits on the where abouts of the Sith fleet tracking us that you'd be absolved of your irresponsible actions? That somehow it justifies your recklessness?" Carth growled. "It doesn't!"

"Look, you may not like my methods, but I get results and you know I'm right about the Sith tracking us. That scouting party we ran into is proof enough that –"

"Results?" Carth scoffed. "Mayhem is what you bring to my ship, lest I forget your little skirmish with the Sith on the very scout ship you stole!"

"I was on my way back to the Endar Spire when Sith interceptors got the drop on us," she kept her tone casual and calm refusing to enter into a yelling match with the obviously infuriated CAG.

"And you were ordered to get back to the ship and leave the firefight."

"But Alayne…Striker," she corrected using Alayne's call sign, "was sustaining some heavy fire. They were about to lock on him…We had to improvise."

"Improvise?!"

"Well yes." Asha continued, "Dizzy and I –"

"There's no room for mavericks on my team. Either shape up or I'll have you shipped out." Carth hissed his anger bolstered by his new found frustration with the woman.

"I couldn't just leave them-"

"You're a scout, not a combat pilot. You were flying a recon ship with limited armaments and light armour. You were not meant to engage the enemy."

"I know that but –"

"There is no 'But'…" Carth cut her off, his frustration growing if it could at all raise any further this woman knew how to take it to its limits Carth thought to himself.

"There's no room for selfish acts of heroism." Carth scolded. "In your 'unit', there is your 'Commander' and there is your 'squad', your 'team'. Every soldier has a role to play and it works best when we all stick to it."

"I don't understand why you are all bent out of shape about this. The Sith were swarming him, they had a lock on Striker." Asha tried to reason. "I couldn't just fall back to base and leave him to die."

"Besides, my ship is fine, a few dents in the armour, a few pulsar burns, but fine…Your man is safe. I came back with some crucial Intel and all your pilots made it back in one piece." Asha said evenly, "Yeah I threw a hydrospanner into the works, but everyone got back safely and the Hutt's your uncle. It's all good…uh Sir." Asha finished and watched as the man's angry face turned a brighter shade of Republic Red.

She's just not getting it. Carth fumed inwardly.

"Your orders were simple. Return to base. You are not a star pilot and you are not qualified for deep space combat." Carth seethed. "Your orders were to return to the Endar Spire, not engage the enemy."

"But-"

"Did I not give you the order to return to base?"

Asha shifted strategies. "I must not have heard the order, sir." She replied innocently.

"Why? Something wrong with your com systems?" Carth replied skeptically.

"Maybe..." Asha offered quickly. "There was some kind of static interference…I should probably get the Chief to look at it. In fact, I'll go do it now…" She was about to turn and walk away when Carth moved to face her once more, his eyes dark and angry.

"Pull that kind of stunt again Stark and it'll be your last on this ship. I'll rebuke both of your flight statuses and throw you both in the brig for insubordination for the remainder of the tour." Carth threatened; all business. He knew scouts like her hated to be cooped up and penned in a holding cell and he used that to his advantage.

"I'm one of your best scouts and Dizzy's the best recon pilot around. The Republic's hard up on recruits, you wouldn't side line us."

"Lady, you could be God himself come down from the heavens to rain down divine retribution on the Sith, but you and your pilot break from protocol again and endanger my men with your antics and I'll throw both of you in the brig myself and toss the key out the air lock."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me sister."

Asha sensed that the CAG meant business and did not say a word.

"As for you Dizzy-" Carth pointed a finger at the trembling Rodian at Asha's side.

Asha stepped between Dizzy and Carth, "Leave Dizzy out of this Sir, it's my fault." It was one thing to punish her, but to drag Dizzy into it was another matter.

"Step back Soldier!"

"No." Asha said softly.

"Step back." Carth warned his voice strained.

"It was my idea, I forced the issue. Dizzy didn't want –"

"Who was piloting the ship?" Carth persisted.

Asha did not answer but Dizzy did.

Carth nodded at the little Rodian then looked up to face Asha.

"He chose to follow you, that makes him just as guilty. His fate is tied to yours." Carth said sternly, "Remember this next time you decide to pull a hare-brained stunt like that again."

Asha's jaw clenched tightly but didn't say a word. She merely stared at Carth with those compelling amber eyes.

"Have I made myself clear Recruit?" Carth finally said breaking their icy silence.

"Crystal…Sir." Asha replied coolly.

"Good." Carth responded, his voice taking on a softer tone, as he noticed the interplay of emotions in the scout's eyes; more concerned about how her actions affected her pilot than saving her own skin.

Maybe she wasn't as selfish as he thought, Carth mused, she stood up for her crew mate and did save one of his pilot's life, but he just could not reward such blatant recklessness, no matter how well intended. Orders were orders and must be obeyed.

"Don't do it again."

"Yes Sir."

* * *

Bastila Shan watched silently from the sidelines the entire exchange between the scout and the Endar Spire's CAG with great interest.

"She did not try to dominate." Shae whispered at Bastila's side.

"No." Bastila answered simply.

"She did not act with passion, unlike the CAG." Offered Daryun, the other Jedi at her side.

"No she did not." Bastila affirmed.

"She acted selflessly in defending the Rodian-" continued Daryun.

"And acted selflessly in saving the star pilot from the Sith." Shae added.

"Perhaps the Masters are being overly cautious. She does not seem a threat."

"Everything is not as it all seems…" Bastila replied with a hint of irritation at the esteem her two Jedi companions displayed for the young scout, "Revan was said to be soft in her manipulative ways and look how many of the best Jedi she had embrace the dark side…She masked selfish intent with acts of selflessness. She made the shadow of darkness seem a gentle shade of grey closer to light…"

"Carth was right, the scout's actions were reckless and she was lucky no one was injured. She risked the lives of the other pilots without thought to their safety. Her actions were rash and impulsive all traits that lead to the path of the dark side."

Shae and Daryun exchanged curious glances at Bastila's odd reaction to the scout.

"That scout is far from a Revan Bastilla." Daryun replied skeptical and confused at Bastilla's co-relation. "She's not even Jedi."

"But there is something about her." Bastila offered. "Already she had gained some measure of respect from the CAG, though he will not readily admit it. Even those on the deck, the crewmen, the pilots and soldiers, all who witnessed the exchange have been changed…even the two of you she was able to gain a certain amount of esteem."

Her two companions lowered their heads in embarrassment.

"Do not be shamed by it, you are not alone in your regard. And perhaps it is that I am merely seeing shadows at every turn." Bastila smiled. "We will do as the Council requests, observe, report, and avoid speaking with her directly." Bastila suggested and made eye contact with Daryun, "Are we clear on this?"

He had the grace enough to flush and look away, "Yes, Bastila."

"Shae?"

"Yes, Bastila."

"Good." Bastila nodded, and continued to watch as Asha moved to clasp her Rodian pilot's back consolingly, and watched as other pilots slowly gravitated to Asha's side, as they joked and offered words of support and camaraderie.

Asha made a smart remark about their CAG that brought the crowd to hysterical laughter and like a pack of kath hounds went baying out of the hanger deck and headed to the Mess.

Wordlessly Bastila followed a fair distance away with her two Jedi companions, wondering at how quickly Asha Stark Republic Scout had easily won over the crew of Endar Spire and marveled still at how effortlessly it had all occurred.

"The Council needs to be informed…" Batsila muttered.


	2. Endar Spire: Play'n with the Big Boys

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Star Wars 'verse or Knights of the Old Republic, I'm just borrowing for a little bit.

**ENDAR SPIRE 1.1 - Play'n with the big boys**

A haze of cigar smoke drifted above the Pazaak table and the smell of strong liquor permeated the air around them. Music played in the background to add to the ambient noise of laughter and camaraderie.

She had come here to forget about the hard day, and drown her anger and frustration with laughter, liquor and a lot of credits.

"Oh Frack me…Bust!" moaned Wolfstar, as he folded his cards and conceded defeat.

Asha grinned from beneath her fan of Pazaak cards, and ruffled Wolfstar's hair, "You're play'n with the big boys now Wolfy and you gotta learn. If you mess with the best… Striker." Asha pointed a cigar toting finger at one of the pilots to finish the line.

"You burn like the rest." Striker finished.

"Hoooyah!" Asha concurred as she raised her shot glass and clinked it with her shipmates, then downed the vile liquid.

"Ahk" she slammed the shot glass on the counter and winced as her eyes watered and she fought the instinct to reject the fluid. "Stuff has bite!" she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue as if to vent out fumes then placed a cigar in her mouth as she raked in her winnings. "Maybe you should go back to playing with the green horns." Asha teased.

A chorus of 'Oooohs' ensued, followed by jovial laughter.

"So who's next." She challenged.

"You're all talk Angel." Came a gruff voice in challenge. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Taaz!" Asha beamed, "Like my jacket?"

"Looks like Striker's." Taaz commented as he sat down at the Pazaak table.

"Was." Asha corrected as she grinned and cast a sideways glance at Striker who had lost his jacket in an earlier game.

"Looks good on you." Taaz smiled as he looked at Striker.

"Yes victory suits me doesn't it?"

"The glum dress of defeat suits you better." Taaz grinned devilishly.

"Put your money where your mouth is flyboy and we'll see." Asah flashed a wily smile and threw in her ante. "Hey Dizz, how much we got so far from these green boys." Asha asked her Rodian pilot who was seated at her side counting her winnings.

Dizzy answered something back in Rodesian and Asha laughed, "I think a Hutt would need more than that to retire, but it's a start."

"Quit gab'n already and start play'n." Taaz taunted.

"Your funeral." Asha smiled then started off the game with a 6.

"So you gonna cough it up or what?" Taaz finally broke the intense silence of the card game.

"Cough up what my winnings?" Asha smirked over her fan of cards. "Earn it flyboy, there's no free ride with me." She flipped a 4.

"I'm talking about the CAG." Taaz elaborated. "I heard after your little lover's tiff on the hanger deck that you got called in."

Asha snorted at Taaz's description of the incident earlier that day. "That man's got a serious hate on for me."

"Gee I wonder why?" Taaz asked sarcastically as he flipped a 3. "Could be that you 'stole' the Pathfinder, took it out on a 'joyride', then got yourself in a school yard fight with the Sith. I don't know any CAG in the Republic that would hate you for that."

"That was an over exaggeration." Asha said defensively.

The men around the table chuckled recounting the day's events that Asha had wanted to put behind her.

"Look I didn't 'steal' the Pathfinder. I volunteered to take the ship out on a dry run to test out its control systems. I figured what better way than to take it out to slip stream and scout out some hyper space routes. That is what the Pathfinder was created for."

"Except that wasn't part of the test run and you didn't bother to inform the CAG and he kinda hates being left in the dark." Taaz said.

"Yeah, that and disobeying a direct order." Striker chuckled in the sidelines.

"Are you saying I should have left you behind to die?" Asha glared. "Ingrate!"

"Hey, hey, hey I'm grateful Angel don't get me wrong." Striker waved his hands up in submission. "I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you and Dizzy here. I'm just saying that the CAG hates when his orders are ignored."

"Fine, next time he calls I'll leave you to take the missile up the ass." Asha flashed a beguiling smile at Striker and winked to show that she was teasing.

"You're a brutal mistress Angel." Striker teased back.

"Bust!" Taaz called out when Asha flipped a card to turn her 17 to a 23.

"Damn it Striker!" Asha cursed. "You're bad luck. Don't talk to me."

"I didn't lose it for you Angel, you did."

Asha rolled her eyes and shuffled her deck to prep for the next game. She flipped a 2 this time to start the game off.

"Seriously Angel, what'd the CAG say." Taaz flipped a 9.

Asha sighed, he wasn't going to let it slide. "He said pretty much the same thing he said to me in the hanger bay only with a lot less yelling." She flipped over a 10 and winced.

"And-" Taaz continued then flipped a 2.

"And we discussed my Intel on the Sith tracking us and debated over my new hyperspace route."

"Debated?" Taaz asked skeptically.

"Ugh, alright! The _Hutt'un _wouldn't even consider the new hyperspace route." She grumbled as she turned over a 3 to make her count a 15.

"I wouldn't be calling the CAG a _Hutt'un_." Taaz grinned even larger. "Some of us actually do understand Mando'a and a _Hutt'un_ the CAG is not."

"He refused to even look at my trajectories and calculations when it could be the difference between having the Sith find us or losing them in the Gauntlet." Asha pouted, slightly miffed.

"The Gauntlet?!" Taaz's eyes widened. "Angel are you nuts? That place is brimming with black holes and crazy gravitational fields."

"A fact that would make it near impossible for the Sith to follow us."

"Yeah because it's a death trap, hence the term running the Gauntlet. We'd be pulverized." Taaz countered.

"I found a route that would take us through it with relative safety."

"Relative safety? I don't think so. No one's been known to make it past the Gauntlet safely."

"Well I just did and so can the Endar Spire." Asha insisted.

"What you're gonna have Dizzy here take the Spire's helm to guide us through the Guantlet?" Taaz asked. "Forget it Angel, you're a good scout, but I'm with the CAG. It's too dangerous…and you just lost." He said as he revealed a -2 card to get him to 20 beating her 19.

Asha's lips tightened; she hated being told she was wrong and most of all she hated losing. "_Hutt'un_." She sulked.

Taaz laughed along with the rest of them and raked in his winnings. "Last run Angel. I'm gonna clean you out." He taunted as he shuffled his deck.

"Don't count on it."

* * *

Carth Onasi CAG of the Endar Spire stepped into the Common Room for a little RnR; today was a particularly trying day, for him. The new recruit was quickly becoming the bane of his existance and their last encounter went about as frustratingly well as the Hanger deck incident. He had just entered the room when he noticed the commotion at a near by table. The room brimmed with spectators as Taaz and and the new recriut dueled it out at the Pazaak table.

A young cadet filled him in on the action when he approached. Apparently both players had taken two games each from one another before he entered the scene and now they were at the final run, it was all or nothing. The recruit had lost the last two hands straight, so she decided to bet it all to the crowd's chagrin.

Carth moved in closer to get a better view of the game.

Taaz drew up a 4 which put him at 19; ahead of Asha's 17, Taaz called out "Stand."

Asha drummed her fingers on the table and gazed at the deck of cards, then at the pile of credits. She had one card left in her hand; she was gonna ride on dumb luck.

"Just quit already…you've lost." Taaz said.

"No guts, no glory." Asha chimed, though her stomach was in a twist at the possibility of losing; but her instincts told her that she should draw from the main deck and if it was one thing life had taught her it was to always listen to her instincts.

"Hit me." Asha said decisively.

"9!" Taaz called out, clapped this hands together and pointed at Asha, "That makes your total a lousy 26…Sorry Angel. You caught a bad run."

Asha's face was stoic and she stared at the cards before her silently as the crowd around the table laughed and mulled over the game; it was all a din of noise to her droning in the background.

From the sidelines Carth Onasi watched, amused at how the scout's smug smile suddenly vanished with a sudden sense of bewilderment and surprise; as if she could not believe what just happened.

"Come to Daddy little ones." Taaz said as he reached for the winnings grinning from ear to ear.

His movement was halted by a slender hand that braced his forearm. Asha slowly revealed the last remaining card in her hand, a +/-6 that she had flipped to use the -6 and made her card count a 20 beating Taaz's 19.

Amber eyes met the blue green of Taaz, as a sly smile crept her lips, "Who's the daddy now?"

The crowd erupted into laughter as Asha sat back cigar in mouth, teeth bared in a grin.

Taaz released his hold on the pot and swore profusely at his ill luck as Asha beamed and the others laughed around them.

"Dizz, wanna get us another one o these..." Asha shook an empty shot glass and made a gesture with her finger around the table. "for everyone here…I think I can afford it." She smiled at Taaz triumphantly.

"A little late to be drinking isn't it Recruit."

Asha looked up and nearly fell off her chair as the CAG stood before her at the table.

"It's allowed." Asha answered calmly. "We're off duty."

"So am I." Carth smiled in an attempt to be cordial.

"Off duty?" Asha commented flippantly. "Is there even such a thing with you…'Sir'?"

Carth smirked at the scout's jest as she emphasized the word 'Sir' a reminder of his earlier chastisement of her that day. "Glad to see your manners have improved some since last we 'talked'."

"Yes 'Sir'." She replied as she shuffled her deck and followed through with a mumbled sentence in Rhodesian that caused Dizzy her pilot to kick her beneath the table and cast a side-long chastising glance.

Carth's smiled content to get under the new recruit's skin. "Is this a private table or can anyone join in the game." He asked.

"It's open as long as you got a deck." Asah replied coolly as she collected her winnings not making eye contact with the man.

"Well I uh-"

"Use mine Sir." Striker offered and slapped down his Pazaak deck before the CAG.

"Thanks." Carth replied and sat himself down in front of Asha.

Asha arched a brow as she eyed Striker, then turned to the CAG sitting before her, "You're using Striker's deck?" she shrugged as she shuffled the cards, "Your funeral."

"Ever play before?"

"Once or twice." Carth confessed as he shuffled his loaned deck, "What's the minimum-"

"A hundred fifty creds." Asha shot out quickly, "This isn't a training table." To hers and everyone else's surprise, Carth placed down the bet without even flinching.

"Damn." Asha puffed at her cigar in awe, "Check out all the feathers…CAG salary must be good." She nodded to Dizzy who put out 150 from her winnings.

"It's respectable." Carth replied and opened the game with a 9.

"Yeah, sure it is." Asha smirked, "Any other 'perks' of the job...other than blowing your lid at new recruits that is." She opened with a 7.

"Why that's the high light of my day." Carth commented sarcastically as he drew an 8. "The rest is long hours training recruits, scheduling refueling lines, strike rosters, patrol rosters, managing supply runs, meetings with the hanger crew, the Brass…"

"Well that explains it." She drew a 10.

"Explains what?" He drew a card; a 7, then placed down a -4 to bring him to 20.

"Why you're single." She placed down a +3 from her hand to make it 20 to tie.

"Lady you don't know anything about me." Carth replied defensively as he shuffled the deck and started the next game.

"I got you pretty much pegged." Asha smirked confidently and drew a 3.

"Enlighten me." Carth challenged. He drew a 5.

"You're a Soldier through and through." She flipped up a 10.

"And that's a bad thing why?" He pulled a 6 from the deck.

"Because that's all you are." Asha explained. "Take the military away from the equation and you've got nothing. I've seen your office and there's nothing but awards for valor and pictures of star ships and military men you served with; no pictures of vacations, no pictures of family, not even a twi'lik joy girl pin-up…nothing but remnants of the wars you've been in and the people you fought with."

"You're a career soldier with nothing else but shiny medals, war honors and a command to his name. I doubt you know what to do with a woman, if she fell on you. When was the last time you went on a date?" Asha persisted, "I bet it's been years hasn't it?"

The lines on the CAG's face hardened slightly and Asha knew she'd touched a sensitive nerve.

"You don't know a thing about me sister." Carth replied.

"I've seen enough of you to know." Asha replied smugly.

"You're like a mother hen clucking about until the chicks come back to roost. You have nothing better to do than to worry about your pilots and the fleet. If you 'had' a woman you wouldn't have this much cash to blow on a game of Pazaak, you wouldn't be with us grunts right now. You'd be writing stupid fluffy love notes on datapads and sending out wave coms saying how much you miss her and want her here. Your office would be plastered with pictures of her instead of star ships and service men."

"You spend all your time and energy on the fleet because you have nothing else in your life to fill it. You've got the look of a lonely career soldier, so don't even bother trying to convince me otherwise, you've been read."

Carth went deathly silent as did the people around the table, no one so much as whispered a word and the rest of the game went on in awkward silence. At the end of it Carth threw down his cards in defeat not even opting to play any from his hand.

"Bust." He said calmly when he drew a 5 that pushed him to 21.

He rose from the table quietly as the awkwardness still lingered in the air. "You win." He said without even looking at her, "Thanks for the game."

He then turned to Striker handing him back the borrowed deck, "It is a weak deck." Carth tried to joke with the man.

"I'm sorry Sir." Striker muttered and Carth knew it wasn't the deck he was talking about.

"Don't worry about it Soldier." Carth clasped Striker's shoulder and tried to offer the young man a reassuring smile that he knew was not very convincing.

Carth nodded to the remaining pilots circled around the table, "Gentlemen, good night."

Asha watched wordlessly as the CAG left the room, somehow her win was neither satisfying nor fulfilling.

She then felt the sharp sting of a slap to the back of her head. "Ouch!" she winced at the hit.

"Idiot!" Taaz's voice was low and condemning.

"What?" Asha looked up in askance as she rubbed at the back of her head.

"Hey ease up Taaz, she didn't know." Striker piped up in Asha's defense. "She's only been with us two standard weeks."

"Didn't know what?" Asha asked.

"The CAG lost his wife and kid on Telos during the Sith bombardment." Taaz offered, his voice still reproachful.

Asha's amber eyes drew wide at the realization of her offense. She felt as though Taaz had just punched her hard in the stomach, "I-I didn't know- I was just – I never meant to." She stammered still thrown by the revelation.

"We know Angel." Wolfstar consoled.

"I should go after him and apologize-"

"I think you should just stay clear of the CAG for the next few days." Taaz suggested.

Asha's face dropped and her lips firmed into a tight line as she nodded in ascent to Taaz's advice, "Alright." She stood up and left the table somberly.

"Hey, Angel! Your winnings!" Striker called out to her.

"Keep it." She waved a hand dismissively at the table without even looking back.

Dizzy slapped the pilot's hand and glared at Striker accusingly as he scooped up Asha's winnings form the table and followed after the scout.

"Not this time Diz," Asha muttered in Basic. "I'm calling it a night."

* * *

Later that night in the darkness and privacy of her room Bastila entertained the company of a Rhodian pilot.

"She did not wish to go with you?" Bastila asked the Rhodian who shook his head, "I see. How was her demeanor?"

"Remorseful." Dizzy reported in a rough spun rendition of Galactic Basic, "She truly felt bad for what she did and even lost interest in her winnings. The game no longer had its appeal and normally for her winning is paramount."

"Truly?" Bastila replied with peaked brow.

"Yes, she even left her credits on the table untouched…left it for the other pilots, until I came in and recovered it." Dizzy added.

"Then I asked her to go to the observation deck and talk a bit, but she would have none of it. Instead she retired to her room." Dizzy reported, "I believe her to be truly regretful of the whole incident."

"Is she there now?" Bastila inquired.

"Yes, I went in to check on her but she was already asleep."

"You did well Dizzy." Bastila commended, "Stay with her as much as you can and report all activities. The Council needs to know."

"Yes Bastila." Dizzy bowed, "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you." Bastila replied then walked Dizzy out of her quarters and once the Rhodian had left moved to the Com Link and on a secure channel, made her report.


	3. Endar Spire: Life Skills

**Disclaimer: **Same as before...I don't own the rites to Star Wars, KOTOR or its characters, yadda yadda yadda...you know the drill ;-)

**A/N: **This is probably the longest chapter yet. It started off simple enough but just kept growing and growing into this horribly long beast. Well I hope you like it anyways and good enough to keep your interest the whole way through the chapter. How am I doing so far? Please R&R so I know what needs to be worked on. Thanks and enjoy:-)

**ENDAR SPIRE 1.3 - Life Skills**

The thunderous tremor of the ship being hit shook the very rafters of the Endar Spire, throwing Asha Stark onto the floor of her bunk unceremoniously. Dazedly she pulled herself to her knees still shaken by her nightmares.

Every night for the last two weeks she had been having horrible dreams; night terrors that would leave her to wake with pulse racing, skin all a sweat and the sheets tangled around her. This night was no different only this time her dreams caused her to thrash so much she fell off her bunk, or did it?

She could never truly remember her dreams, each time she tried her head would hurt, like a split in her skull; so she stopped trying. None of the doctors knew how to cure it, and the meds did not seem to help any; they only caused her to fall deeper into sleep, but each night she'd wake the same way, frantic, sweating and high strung…something was wrong.

Suddenly the door to her bunk slid open. On instinct Asha dove for her blaster beneath her pillow and aimed it at the man standing before her with no care for modesty as her blankets fell to the floor, her half-naked form now exposed.

"Woah Ash! It's me!" the tall blonde soldier said in surprise arms raised submissively, though he could not help but draw his eyes over her near bared form appraisingly.

"Don't give me a reason to shoot you Trask." Asha huffed with annoyance as she glared at the man almost daring him to say something about her attire or rather lack there of.

"On any other day Angel, I might have found this scene enthralling, you with a blaster half naked in that pose."

"That does it!" she cocked the gun in warning.

"Okay, okay. The Endar Spire is under attack!" Trask blurted out. "We've been ambushed by Sith."

"What?" Asha asked as his statement caught her attention.

The entire room shook again causing items to fall from the cabinets near by. Her electronic journal fell off a shelf and dropped on her head.

"Ouch!" Asha yelped as she rubbed her head, with her gun hand. "You can't be serious."

"They're bombarding our ships with their canons…listen to the alarms, look around you…does it look like I'm kidding." Trask replied. "Now Hurry up, we have to find Bastila and make sure she makes it off the ship alive!"

"Who?" Asha asked, the name was familiar but she couldn't place it.

"Bastilla. Our Commanding Officer, well not really an officer but…she's in charge of this mission…remember?"

Asha furrowed her brows trying to put a face to the name, but each time it was like something was fogging up her mind.

"How much did you drink last night?" Trask asked skeptically.

Asha held her head, "Enough I guess to Frack me up." She rose to her feet quickly when the next wave of bombardments started again. "What about Dizzy?"

"They scrambled all available pilots 5 minutes ago."

"What?!" Asha asked in a panic, "Why wasn't I woken."

"The announcement was made and repeated over and over for about 5 minutes. I'm surprised you didn't hear it." Trask replied.

Asha looked down at the bottle of meds toppled on her night stand, the deep sleep they caused most likely prevented her from hearing the alarms; she cursed herself.

Hurriedly she moved to her footlocker and grabbed her equipment and hastily got dressed.

It was then, Trask noticed the horrible scars on Asha's back and could not help but stare aghast at the grotesquely scarred skin.

As she turned to face him she noticed his look. "Not so pretty now huh?" Asha smirked.

Trask looked away in embarrassment. "Sorry Angel, I-"

"Don't be. You didn't do it." She answered as she turned herself around so that her injuries were no longer visible to him. "That's probably better eh?" She tried to offer a smile as she continued to dress.

She had just strapped on her portable communicator when a familiar voice squawked,

"This is Carth Onasi. The Sith are threatening to overrun our position! We can't hold out much longer against their fire power! All hands to the bridge!"

"Frack! That's the CAG." Trask said.

"Yeah I know." Asha mumbled as she pulled a shirt over her head, "Can't miss that voice."

"He's seen more combat than the rest of the crew combined. If he says its bad you better believe it. We better get to the bridge and help defend Bastila." Trask suggested. He had wanted to ask Asha more about her injuries but the sudden reminder of their predicament caused him to push out his initial curiosity to leave it for another time. 'There'd be plenty of time after to ask about her scars' he thought to himself.

"Right." Asha checked her blasters, tucked away her assortment of pills and electronic journal in her satchel and followed Trask out the door. She'd see Dizzy later and apologize. Knowing the Rhodian he was probably fuming that she wasn't at her seat with him; she was his best gunner and ECO after all.

Alarms sounded and the ground shook with every canon blast the Endar Spire suffered. A few times Asha was nearly thrown off her feet from the shock. They ran down the crew corridors until they passed a utility droid.

"Frack!" Asha cursed, "The door's locked." She slammed her fist at the barricade, "Most likely emergency lock down procedures. We need to find another route."

"No time. Let me slice into the access panel and open the door." Trask offered.

Within a few moments Trask stepped aside, "Bam! Just like that, the Hutt's your uncle."

"You bypassed that security panel pretty easily." Asha eyed Trask skeptically.

"Life Skills." Trask cast Asha a handsome grin, "I wasn't born in this uniform you know."

"So you're not just a pretty face after all." Asha teased.

"Nah! I got skills." He threw her a wink and flipped the switch to open the door. "After you beautiful."

Asha glared at Trask, "If it wasn't for the fact that we're running for our – What the Frack!"

Blaster fire seared passed Asha's head as the doors opened to reveal Sith troopers and Republic soldiers locked in a heated gun fight.

"They must be part of the Sith's advanced boarding party!" Trask called out over the din of blaster fire and he jumped into the fray guns blazing.

"Trask wait!" Asha called out.

"For the Reupbulic!" she heard him scream as he fired blast upon blast at the Sith troopers.

"Damn patriot." She muttered angrily as she peered behind the door to get a better look at the situation.

The Republic soldiers had all fallen save Trask who was now pinned by laser fire behind an alcove across from where Asha stood.

Taking a deep breath Asah drew out her two blasters and fired her way to a downed Republic soldier where she found a frag grenade. She holstered one of her blasters and retrieved the grenade.

Blaster fire exploded around her and she tumbled to avoid it. As she rolled, she pulled the pin of the grenade and released it. The grenade bounced between the two Siths and exploded taking out the remaining Sith troopers and Asha managed to roll with the force of the blast and regain her balance. Some stray shrapnel grazed her arm and caused her to bleed.

"Running headlong into battle without a game plan is pretty stupid!" Asha spat out irritantly at Trask as she held her injured arm, "Don't they teach you that or does the Republic hire them pretty but dim."

Trask smirked as he looked down at his injured bunk mate and pointed at her arm, "Was that part of your intricate plan?"

Asha glared at the man. "Next time I'm leaving you pinned with the Sith."

Trask laughed, "Come on Ash, you know you wouldn't leave me." He winked. "I'm too pretty remember?"

Asha cast the man a lopsided grin and stood up. "Let's go."

"Wait, you're injured." Trask said pulling her to him. "Let me have a look."

"It's just a scratch." Asha said pulling away.

"It might be more, let me look." Trask winced at the deep gash on Asha's arm, "That's gonna leave a nasty scar."

Asha smirked, "What else is new." She looked away as he quickly cleaned the wound and prepared to inject her with a Medpac; she never did like needles.

She settled back a bit against him as the meds kicked in and filled her with endorphins, the pain of her arm dulling to a numb hurt.

"You alright?" Trask asked.

"Yeah," Asha nodded, "Let's get going."

"Right."

They moved further down the corridors of the Endar Spire, cautious of Sith troopers roaming about. As they moved along the hollowed metal corridors, something ate at the back of Asha's mind.

"Something's not right..." Asha's voice trailed off.

"What do you mean?" Trask asked as he stopped his tracks and turned to look at Asha quizzically.

Asha shook her head. "I dunno. I can't quite place it…but something-" with a sudden swiftness that surprised them both, Asha pulled Trask into an alcove with her just as an explosion took out a utility droid and the corridor up ahead.

Trask turned disbelievingly at Asha, "How did you-"

"I-I don't know." Asha cut him off just as mystified with her actions, "Sometimes I get these feelings," she shrugged, "I don't know, maybe its woman's intuition." She shrugged. "All I know is when I have those feelings it usually means trouble and its saved my skin a few times, so I listen to my instincts."

"Well looks like that door is pretty much sealed shut." Trask said pointing to the one that exploded, "What does your instincts tell you about that door?" he pointed to the only door left for them to go through.

"What am I now your personal Reader?" Asha asked perturbed.

"You're the one with the Danger Sense."

"It comes and goes. I can't just flip it on like a switch."

"Well that's convenient." Trask muttered sarcastically.

Asha eyed the man nonplussed, "But, judging from our situation and the last door we opened I can safely assume that Sith are behind those doors. You don't need my instincts to tell you that." Asha smiled confidently at her bunk mate, "I say we go in guns blazing at the sight of the first Sith."

"You bet." Trask nodded as he readied his blasters.

"On the count of three…"

"One-" Trask started.

"Two-" Asha continued.

"Three-" Trask punched in the correct activation code to open the door.

Asha ducked the first stream of blaster fire and rolled under a table as Trask fired at the Sith troopers from behind the door frame.

Taking careful aim beneath the table, Asha fired two shots aimed for their heads and the two Sith soldiers dropped to the ground like lead weights. The room was cluttered with dead Republic and Sith soldiers from an earlier skirmish.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Trask asked as he helped Asha from under the table, "Are you one of those Special Ops cells?"

Asha smirked as she stood, "Life skills." She shot back at Trask as she knelt down and began to rummage through the dead bodies.

"Life Skills." Trask smiled as she turned his words back on him, but then his smile faded when he saw her kneeling by a dead female Republic soldier as she began to remove the combat suit from the body, "What are you doing?!" Trask asked appalled

"I need armor, supplies and ammo and these guys won't be needing them." Asha held out some grenades and stuffed it into her satchel then continued to hastily rummage through the rest of the bodies taking what she deemed necessary.

"Are these regulation?" she asked Trask having pulled some stims from a Republic soldier's corpse, "I thought these things were banned by the Republic. Only ones I knew that used Stims were the Mandalorians and Junkies."

"What do you know of Mandalorians?" Trask asked, his voice still reproachful.

"Nothing more than anyone else." Asha shrugged, as she put on the new armour, then noticed the disgusted way in which Trask was eyeing her. "Look, theses items are wasted on these corpses and if you want to get out of here alive you better strip yourself of your higher principles."

"My Civies are not going to protect me against anything, but this armour will." She said as she slipped into the combat suit, then narrowed her eyes at the man, "You got anything to fight in close quarters?"

Trask shook his head, arms crossed and still condemning her actions with his eyes.

"Exactly." Asha said self-assuredly, "We're heading to the bridge where we can't use blasters, and I'll bet if the Sith are looking for this Jedi of yours then they'll have sent out Dark Jedi of their own to take her…You wanna fight a Jedi with your bare hands, be my guest, but I like my chances with a sword." Asha pulled out two swords from the Sith bodies she shot earlier and tested out the grip and balance of each weapon and eyed the make of them appraisingly. "The Sith know a thing or two about making good swords."

"Those melee weapons are made using a cortosis weave that makes them strong enough to stand up against anything, including a light saber." Trask said.

"Exactly." Asha threw a beguiling smile and a wink at Trask. "So, what do you say? Want to live?" She handed Trask a sword hilt first.

Trask contemplated her words a moment then gripped the hilt and tested out the balance.

"Good man." Asha clapped Trask on the back and sheathed her sword, then picked up a second and buckled it to her other hip.

"Two swords?" Trask asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Asha replied nonplussed, "I'm ambidextrous."

"That sounds disgusting."

"It means I'm just as good with my right hand as I am with my left."

"Well that certainly has benefits." Trask smiled lasciviously.

"It also means I could kill you with equal efficiency using either hand." Asha glared.

"You really know how to kill a man's mood." Trask joked.

"Just move." Asha smiled and pushed Trask forward.

As they moved deeper down the corridors they were met with more Sith resistance, though better prepared they were able to handle them easily enough. Their last skirmish reaped a utility belt of ammo a medpac and more grenades; this time Trask did not complain about her pilfering.

Four doors laid before them at the end of the hallway though three of the four doors were either jammed or blown up, which left only the one remaining to go through.

Asha sensed something just beyond the door and as it slid open Trask pulled her back.

"It's a Dark Jedi and one of Bastila's Jedi in a duel!" Trask said, "This fight is too much for us…we better stay back. All we'd do is get in the way."

Asha watched the fight with rapture in her eyes. Her hand itched to join the fight, her feet yearned to join in the dance in battle, but Trask held her to him tightly. Part of her yearned to participate in the fray and felt that she could do better. Then her head started to hurt again as she questioned her feelings and the source of her desire to join in the melee combat.

The end of the duel showed the Jedi to be the victor and as she turned to give an order to Asha and Trask an explosion knocked the Jedi from behind and killed her. The flash of the blast, the sound and smell of the explosion stirred back images, emotions that flew quickly across Asha's mind and as she tried to cling to them to try and remember, her knees buckled and she crumpled in Trask's arms clutching her head.

"ARGH!"

"Asha!" Trask questioned in concern, "What's the matter?"

"Head…" she couldn't speak, as it felt like her head was splitting in two, she clutched at her temples, "Can't…pain…"

"Talk to me Ash, I'm at a loss here." Trask said helplessly as he held her, confused at what just happened.

With trembling hands Asha moved to her satchel and grabbed a bottle of pills that she held out to Trask. In understanding, he opened the bottle and shook out a pill and placed it in her mouth.

Asha bit down hard and as soon as the powder dissolved in her mouth the meds took effect and her body relaxed. The debilitating headache ebbed away to a dim throb.

"Thanks." She said to Trask finally pulling out of his hold.

"Anytime." Trask replied, "Wanna tell me what that was about?"

Asha stood and placed the pill bottle back in her satchel, "Blue bottle to help me sleep, Red bottle for the 'Hammers'."

"The Hammers?"

"Yeah, I suffer from really severe headaches. Skull splitting is the better description, though I call it the Hammers as it feels like my head is being split by a hammer and chisel. Anyways, they don't come often, but when they do it's like a maelstrom. The doctors prescribed the meds to help dull the pain when it gets real bad."

"Like what just happened."

"Yeah." Asha started to walk away uncomfortable with talking about it.

As she approached the fallen Jedi she knelt down and picked up the hilt. The blast had destroyed most of it, but as she examined it her head started to throb. Because of the medication in her system the pain was bearable. Her fingers moved with deft agility, as she quickly took apart the hilt; the crystals and everything destroyed with the exception of a vibration cell that she was able to retrieve.

Trask watched with amazement at how quickly she disassembled the saber's hilt. "Take apart many Jedi swords?" he eyed her skeptically.

Asha's amber eyes narrowed not liking the insinuation, "A small cylindrical device like this. There are only a few ways it could possibly open and it was already slightly a jar when I picked it up so it wasn't rocket science to open it further. Besides…" she said as she held up the item she found to Trask, "I can modify this piece into a vibration cell. And use it to modify a vibroblade. I've done such mods before, so yeah I know my way around swords and other weapons. A Jedi saber is just a fancy glowing sword."

"Life skills?" Trask smirked.

Asha stood face to face with the man and looked him in the eye in challenge, "Yeah, something like that."

Trask's stoic demeanor cracked and he broke out into a smile, "You are Special Ops." He said definitively.

"No, I'm just a scout." Asha answered straight faced.

"Yeah sure." Trask said as they moved to the door to the bridge.

"Just beyond this door is the bridge, melee weapons only. We can't afford stray blaster fire on the control systems."

Asha nodded and holstered her blaster pistols in exchange for two short swords, "Boy aren't we lucky we happened to have found some swords." She offered sarcastically.

Trask looked at Asha and smiled, "Yeah, yeah. You were right, what do you want me to do, kiss your feet?"

"Well, that'd be a start."

"Can I kiss anywhere else?"

"Depends how much you value your man parts." Asha eyed him devilishly as she raised her two short swords.

"Never mind."

"I thought so." Asha smiled.

Trask by passed the security on the doors and opened it up to the bridge; the place was brimming with Sith.

"Okay, let's see how good you really are Ash."

Asha never replied moving instinctively into the foray dual blades flashing as she parried and countered blow after blow and took down Sith after Sith. A swift blow aimed for the top of her head raced by.

With a single fluid motion Asha caught the blow with crossed swords pinning the Sith's blade between her own. She cast the man a feral smile, who in turn replied with a kick to the chest.

Asha flew back and slammed against the command table and had to roll off the other end to escape a fatal slice. She did not wait long for her feet to touch the ground that she slid beneath the table and tripped the Sith Soldier on the other end. Without thought in a motion fluid and natural she brought her blades down on the man's prone form. She did not wait long to find another willing combatant.

By the end the bridge was littered with Sith and Republic bodies with Asha and Trask breathing heavily in an effort to catch their breaths.

"Bastila's not here. They must have retreated to the escape pods." Trask said, "We better head that way too. The Sith want Bastila alive, but once she's off the ship there's nothing stopping them from blasting the Endar Spire into galactic dust."

"Then lets go." Asha urged, "I didn't fight this far just to die from a canon shot."

Trask moved to the next door and accessed the security panel when he heard sounds beyond the door. "There's something behind here."

As Asha approached the door she was filled with a suffocating sense of dread, "No Trask don't open –"

Too late, she thought to herself as the door slid open and revealed the danger she felt was waiting.

"Damn!" She heard Trask curse, "Another Dark Jedi!"

Asha's eyes met that of the Dark Jedi and a flash of the familiar hit her. The Dark Jedi's eyes widened when he saw her and he drew his saber and charged.

She was held in her place motionless, incapacitated by the feeling that there was something she should know; something familiar about the man. Asha was vulnerable in her catatonic state as she tried to pull the memory to surface, and as she did so the familiar pain in her head started again.

"ASHA!!" Trask called out and jumped into the melee, stopping a deadly saber blow from striking her down.

Asha's amber eyes widened at the nearness of the bright crimson blade, the Dark Jedi sneered at his foiled attempt and turned his attention to Trask.

"I'll hold him off." Trask shouted, "You get to the escape pods!"

Still stunned at the whole event and flustered by something that drove at her mind Asha did not respond and it was only when Trask pushed her and she fell on her back that she snapped out of her catatonic state.

By then Trask had slammed his fist on the release and sealed the door shut behind him. Asha jumped up to her feet and banged her palms on the door.

"TRASK NO!!!" she screamed from the other side as she pounded against the metal.

He was going to die she knew it. With ardent fervor she slashed at the control panel hoping a short would cause the locks to release, but to her frustration the door was still sealed.

She slashed vehemently at the doors, but they still remained closed, "Trask you Frack'n idiot!" she called out through the metal doors as she sunk to her knees crestfallen. Her head and finger tips rested against the cold metal, eyes shut in defeat.

"This is Carth Onasi on your personal communicator." A familiar voice squawked from her wrist comm., "Soldier can you hear me?"

"Yeah." Asha finally answered as she wiped away the tears in her eyes, "I hear you."

"Good. I'm tracing your position through the Endar Spire's life support systems. Bastila's escape pod is away…You're the last surviving crew member of the Endar Spire."

"Frack'n yay." Asha muttered dejectedly.

"Listen, I can't wait for you much longer; you have to get to the escape pods!" Carth pleaded.

"Alrgiht." Asha said and rose to her feet. "I'll be there."

She gave one last look at the sealed door where Trask was, then pulled out her electronic journal she brought up a map of the Endar Spire and looked for the quickest rout to the escape pods, and headed in that direction. She forced herself to think of the task at hand and mourn Trask's death later.

Asha had shot her way through to the corridors leading to the escape pods by catching the Sith off guard. She had also found a Republic pass card along the way. That made it easier to go through the restricted corridors as she did not have the slicing talents that Trask had; computers and repairs are one thing, but hacking security and encrypted systems were another beast altogether.

She entered a room for the first time, not crawling with Sith. A computer panel, a broken down droid and a few footlockers were all that cluttered the room. It seemed as though the Sith had not yet come this way. Asha rummaged through the footlockers grabbing what she could, computer spikes, ammo etc.

At the far end of the room was another door and Asha checked her map. One more door past this one and she was home free. Asha was about to swipe the pass card to allow her access to the next room when her communicator sounded causing her to jump.

"HEY WAIT!!" it was Carth Onasi's voice again.

"Force Onasi!" Asha whispered angrily, "Can you be any louder? I don't think the Sith heard you."

"Sorry, but I thought I'd warn you before you head there that there's a whole squad of Sith Troopers on the other side of that door." Carth replied.

"Frack." Asha swore, two or three Troopers she could handle but a whole squad was a different matter; life skills or not she'd die with those odds.

Quickly she scanned the room and saw the derelict droid and the computer panel to her right.

"Don't worry Onasi, I got it covered." Asha said into her communicator then set out to work.

She moved to the computer terminal and sliced into the programming matrix utilizing one of the computer spikes she found in the footlocker. Accessing the power subsystems she made the power conduits in the adjacent room to overload.

The power surge took out the cameras in the room so she could not access video feed to check for survivors, but she heard various loud screams emanate from the other side, so she knew her ploy worked; just how well was undetermined.

"Onasi, any survivors in the other room?" Asha asked into her wrist comm.

"Too much electrical interference in that room, it's messing with the life support readings."

"Alright nevermind." Asha said then headed for the derelict droid.

She inspected the broken down droid before her and after doing a few cursory diagnostics of its system found that it was just missing some parts. Asha moved quickly to the foot locker where she had last seen some components. After inserting the missing circuit boards, she rewired the droid for optimum shields and weaponry, then set it loose on sentry mode.

Asha listened for gun fire as it entered the adjacent room and when she heard no retaliatory blaster fire, she followed suit after the droid. Using the pass card that she found earlier she opened the doors to the room with the escape pods.

"YOU?!" came the shocked voice of the Endar Spire's CAG. Carth remembered her from the card game the night before and their encounter at the Hanger Bay.

"Good to see you too Sir…" Asha smirked, "Thanks for nearly getting me killed with that broadcast warning by the way."

Of all the people to be stuck on an escape pod with, the Force decides it has to be her, Carth thought to himself. "If I hadn't warned you about that squad you wouldn't be here right now Recruit."

"I would have found a way."

"Sure you would." Carth replied unconvinced. "Look there's only one escape pod left-"

"Does that mean you're going down with the ship?" Asha interjected hopefully.

"That's historically the Captain's job and I'm not the Captain." Carth answered.

"Too bad." Asha quipped.

"Get in there!" Carth pushed Asha forward into the shuttle.

"Ouch!" Asha protested as the edge of the frame caught her forehead and she looked back at Carth indignantly.

"We can hide out on the planet below." Carth said ignoring her indignant glower and shut the hatch and buckled up.

"You bled me!" Asha glared as she touched her forehead and found blood. "I'm requesting a transfer when I get back."

"Good." Carth replied, "I'll sign off on it." With that he pulled the release lever and the escape pod shot out into orbit.


	4. Taris Escape Pod: Not Worth It

**Disclaimer:** Same as before , I don't own Star Wars, KOTOR etc…well except a copy of the game that is, but you know what I mean ;-)

**A/N:** As many of you have keenly pointed out, this is not an exact walkthrough of the game but rather a chronicle of the KOTOR game as I interpret it so there will be a few differences; twists and turns along the way. And on that note, yes Carth is different and will be. I've decided to darken him up a little. He will be a harsher, edgier kind of guy (and with good reason…the guy lost everything to the Sith), so he will be somewhat angst driven and dark at times. But he will grow and evolve, so don't worry all those who like the old Carth, he'll have his moments of 'Carthy-ness' (Just few and far between) ;-) But that being said if I get enough flack through reviews wanting the original 'game' Carth back, I will consider altering my characterization of him...until then Dark Carth stays ;-)

**TARIS** **– Escape Pod: Not Worth It**

Black smoke from the flames covered the area in a thick diameter of smog making it difficult to see and breathe. Carth dangled limply from his harness, the straps anchoring him to his seat, prevented him from toppling over. Bleary eyed from the smoke he looked about his surroundings; everything was upside down.

Small fires had started in and around the controls and there was structural damage throughout the pod. It was a nasty landing, but any landing one can walk away from was a good landing. He started to cough, choking on the fumes, he looked over to his right and found an empty seat; the scout dangled limply forward held precariously by one strap as the rest of the seat harnesses swung lazily at her side.

"Stark?" Carth coughed out the young scout's name but she lay motionless; suspended just inches away from the ground.

She had a nasty gash to her head among other injuries; most likely sustained trauma from being flung from her seat on impact.

"STARK!" he called out again this time louder but still no response.

The fires were growing larger heating the air and making it more difficult to breath. Quickly Carth unfastened himself from the seat and dropped deftly to the ground. He moved swiftly to the scout's side and felt for a pulse, it was weak, very weak but in the least that meant she was alive.

He drew out his combat knife and cut the remaining strap that held her body and with a grunt caught her limp form as she fell.

Gently he set her down as he opened the hatch and took a cautious look outside. They had landed on the outskirts of the city, he recognized the place; Taris. He had been here before. In the distance he could hear voices, a group of them; muffled but getting louder.

He pulled out a telescopic scope from his combat vest pocket and looked through the view finder. Ten armed Sentry in staggered formation their armour and weapons unmistakable.

"Sith." Carth hissed with contempt as his eyes narrowed.

He looked about the small craft and his eyes fell upon the small satchel the scout had slung around her; its flap had flipped open at one corner showing the tip of a grenade.

"Grenades?" Carth thought in shock, they were lucky the thing did not go off during their landing. "What the hell is a scout doing packing grenades?" he eyed Asha's prone from suspiciously.

The sounds of the men were getting louder he had to act fast and his military instinct kicked in. Without hesitation he grabbed a few of the scout's grenades and began to set them in opportune areas around the pod; setting them to trigger in a chain reaction. Once the traps were laid he quickly picked up Asha's limp form and moved her quietly to safety.

Within the darkness and relative safety of the shadows Carth watched as the Sith sentry approached the crashed escape pod and as if on cue the third man to enter the pod triggered the first set of explosives setting the others to go off in succession; killing the initial three inside the pod and another three standing near the craft.

His hazel eyes shone golden in the after glow of the explosions as he watched passively his handy work take out the remaining Sith one by one.

The shrapnel from the fragments of the exploding escape pod, mixed with the toxic fumes lit up into seething hot projectiles striking down and injuring the remaining Sith. Agonizing wails and screams of the injured echoed and reverberated in the cold night air.

Looking up into the deep blue stratosphere of Taris' sky Carth smiled. "That was for you Morgana." He whispered and hoped she could see the flames of Sith he set for her from the heavens.

Stealthily he slunk back deeper into the shadows and melted silently into the darkness back to Asha's side.

After dressing some of Asha's wounds and stopping the blood flow with a make-shift tourniquet, Carth gently lifted up the scout's wilted frame.

"Sith will not be happy with human…many soldiers dead." Came a crackled version of galactic basic that emanated to the right of Carth.

With the fluidity and economy of motion honed by many years as a soldier, Carth released his hold on Asha and brought to bare his blaster pointing it straight at the head of the alien Duros to his right; all within a fraction of a second.

Asha's legs fell dead to the ground her body pressed heavily against Carth who held her secure with his left arm. Even the heavy thud of her boots slamming against the ground did not garner a response from the unconscious scout.

"Yeah, who's going to tell them?" Carth hissed menacingly. "You?"

"No! No!" the Duros waved his hands submissively. "Ixgil no friend of Sith. Ixgil no like nasty Sith." The alien spat at the ground to show his disgust.

"Then what are you doing out here by the crash site?" Carth asked, blaster still pointed at the Duros.

"Ixgil see falling ship. Think maybe take parts and sell to Larrim for credits."

Carth eyed the Duros warily, he appeared to be telling the truth, as the alien appeared to have no weapon on him; only a tool belt and two large sacks most likely to haul the scavenged parts. Carth was still hesitant on lowering his blaster an awkward silence befell the two as Carth inwardly weighed his options.

"You Republic soldier, hunted by Sith. You need hide yes?" Ixgil asked.

"…" Carth didn't answer him but kept his blaster poised.

"Injured female human not look good." Ixgil pointed at Asha.

Carth's eyes momentarily looked to Asha's slumped form. She indeed did not look good. She was pale from loss of blood and the tourniquet he had made for her from his shirt was already soaked and stained crimson. She was cold and clammy, her pulse weak and her breathing faint. With no med packs to stabilize her Carth knew he had to find a doctor or she wouldn't last the night.

"I know place. Safe place Sith hardly go." Ixgil offered. "I know good doctor too. Human. Named Zelka, nice…good doctor."

"You're an overly 'helpful' one." Carth replied skeptically. "Why would you want to help me for nothing?"

The Alien made a strange whiney sound, its face contorted into what looked to Carth like a scary version of an alien laugh. "Not for nothing…foolsih human." The alien smiled craftily. "You blow up Ixgil source of income and Ixgil still need credits. Ixgil get you in lower city secret way, safe…away from Sith…get cheap apartment to hide and rest…send Zelka to treat friend and you pay Ixgil for rent and finders fee for doctor."

Carth didn't have many options left to him. True he had been on Taris before, but with the Sith down planet side searching for crash survivors from the Endar Spire they weren't safe.

"And how do I know you're not just going to turn me over to the Sith?"

Ixgil unzipped his coveralls and revealed to Carth the horrible scars carved across the skin of his chest. Carth recoiled at the disfiguring injuries and recognized all to well the markings of a Sith interrogation stick.

"Ixgil have no love for Sith." The Duros said somberly as he zipped up his coveralls once more. "You light up Sith like fire-rockets. That tickles Ixgil some, so I offer help, but you owe me for lost profit, so you pay Ixgil for help and services, yes?"

"You've got a deal." Carth said as he lowered his gun, his hazel eyes cold with resolve. "Name your price."

"Two hundred credits."

"Two hun-Two hundred credits?!" Carth asked abashed.

"That is Ixgil's price." The Duros crossed his arms defensively and a stoic manner that told Carth the alien was not going to negotiate.

"Here let me just pull it out of my ass." He huffed sarcastically. "I crash landed here remember? I didn't exactly bring my wallet with the wad of credits to spend. Where am I supposed to come up with two hundred credits in the middle of nowhere?"

"Human get overly excited for nothing." Ixgil huffed. "Ixgil did not say to pay at once. I will take some in trade and the rest you pay in a few days, but payment for apartment and doctor fee Ixgil will need now. So maybe only take 100 credits today."

"I just told you…I have NO credits."

"Human lacks imagination…or is dull as boma beast." Ixgil sneered. "I will take in trade and sell for credits."

"Fine." Carth grumbled. "What do you want? I haven't got much so-"

"That." Ixgil pointed at the telescopic scope that was sleeved in one of his flack vest's pocket.

"Alright, here." Carth handed the alien the scope. "What about these?" he fished into Asha's satchel and handed the Duros some Adrenal Stims. "I'm sure you could sell a few of these for a good profit."

"Yes, yes, but still not enough to get 100 credits. What more you have?" Ixgil asked.

"I don't know, an electronic journal?"

Ixgil wrinkled his face but held out his bag for Carth to put the items in. "And armour too."

"What?"

"Combat armour wreaks Republic. Ixgil bring you civilian clothes later. Knife too please." Ixgil held out his bag and waited for Carth to hand him his combat knife.

"Anything else?" Carth asked sarcastically after removing the combat armour and placing it into the alien's sack.

Ixgil pointed at a Telosian bracelet that dangled on Carth's wrist

"What?" Carth looked down at his wrist to the bracelet Morgana had given him on their wedding day. "NO." he answered with steely resolve as he covered the bracelet protectively. "It's not for sale."

"She need place to stay…safe to heal…but she need doctor and medicine too. You choose, but with these," Ixgil held up his sack of goods. "Ixgil have enough to get apartment but no doctor, no medicine, or doctor and medicine but no apartment. You choose, but Ixgil not do both, not enough to cover both."

Carth looked down at Asha's prone form, her skin an alabaster hue was a stark contrast to the sleek raven black hair that framed her face. She looked like death and knew she needed medical attention, but knew to that in order to heal they also needed a clean dry place to stay.

Carth glanced down at the bracelet once more. She had made him promise to always wear it and in all the years they had been married he had never taken it off. It was a symbol of her love for him and the only thing he had left of her; other than his memories. His jaw clenched and strained as he looked one last time at the intricate bracelet upon his wrist, then at the deathly still form of the injured recruit.

"You're not worth it." He whispered softly glaring down at Asha's vulnerable form; trying to convince himself, but after a reluctant pause and bitter hesitation, Carth released the clasp of his wedding bracelet.

The bracelet dangled from his fingers as his thumb caressed the engravings one last time; '_Forever Yours -Morgana_'.

He closed his eyes unable to look at it any longer, feeling as though he had betrayed her and somehow shamed by it, he tossed the bracelet into Ixgil's waiting hand and turned away to lift the injured scout into his arms.

"You better be worth it." He whispered as he glanced down at Asha's unconscious form; the memory of her reckless acts and incident at the hanger bay and card game flashed through his head. Inside, the back of his mind screamed

'_Not worth it…_'


End file.
